Democracy, Monarchy and Dictatorship: Types of Government Systems It is imperative that customary land rights are recognized and respected so that communities in the traditional economic system exercise control of land and other resources under their customary ownership, at least until alternative sources of employment are developed to absorb those who might be displaced. TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT - Modish Project Fitzpatrick 'Traditionalism and Traditional Law' Journal of African Law, Vol. President Muhammadu Buhari is currently the federal head of state and government. Despite such changes, these institutions are referred to as traditional not because they continue to exist in an unadulterated form as they did in Africas precolonial past but because they are largely born of the precolonial political systems and are adhered to principally, although not exclusively, by the population in the traditional (subsistent) sectors of the economy. African traditional institutions continue to exist in most African countries, albeit at different levels of adherence by the populations of the continent. This study points to a marked increase in state-based conflicts, owing in significant part to the inter-mixture of Islamic State factions into pre-existing conflicts. This kind of offences that attract capital punishment is usually . Perhaps a more realistic transitional approach would be to reconcile the parallel institutions while simultaneously pursuing policies that transform traditional economic systems. These partners, for their part, sometimes disengaged from close political ties and often brought new governance conditions into their assistance programs. PDF Traditional Leaders In Modern Africa: Can Democracy And The - ETH Z In addition, resolution needs to be acceptable to all parties. FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. PDF The Political Ideology of Indigenous African Political Systems and Problems and Purpose. not because of, the unique features of US democracy . Institutional dichotomy also seems to be a characteristic of transitional societies, which are between modes of production. Aristotle was the first to define three principal types of government systems in the fourth century B.C. The end of colonialism, however, did not end institutional dichotomy, despite attempts by some postcolonial African states to abolish the traditional system, especially the chieftaincy-based authority systems. Given its institutional disconnect with the state, the traditional sector and the communities that operate under it invariably face marginalization in influencing policy as well as in access to economic resources throughout the continent. The evidence suggests that traditional institutions have continued to metamorphose under the postcolonial state, as Africas socioeconomic systems continue to evolve. "Law" in traditional Africa includes enforceable traditions, customs, and laws. Galizzi, Paolo and Abotsi, Ernest K., Traditional Institutions and Governance in Modern African Democracies (May 9, 2011). In most African countries, constitutionally established authorities exercise the power of government alongside traditional authorities. African Political Systems is an academic anthology edited by the anthropologists Meyer Fortes and E. E. Evans-Pritchard which was published by Oxford University Press on the behalf of the International African Institute in 1940. The features associated with this new form of governmental administration deal with smaller government responsibility for providing goods and services. Somalilands strategy has brought traditional leaders into an active role in the countrys formal governance by creating an upper house in parliament, the Guurti, where traditional leaders exercise the power of approving all bills drafted by the lower house of parliament. These events point to extreme state fragility and a loss of sovereign control over violence in the 11 affected countries, led by Nigeria, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR). This principle is particularly relevant for diversity management, nation-building, and democratization in contemporary Africa. PDF NNSO OKAF, Ph.D. (a.k.a. OKEREAFEZEKE) Uneven access to public services, such as educational, health, and communication services, and the disproportionately high poverty rates in the traditional sector are manifestations of the sectors marginalization. Poor statesociety relations and weak state legitimacy: Another critical outcome of institutional fragmentation and institutional detachment of the state from the overwhelming majority of the population is weak legitimacy of the state (Englebert, 2000). Among the attributes of the traditional system with such potential is the systems transparent and participatory process of resolving conflicts, which takes place in open public meetings. Africa's tumultuous political history has resulted in extreme disparities between the wealth and stability of its countries. Types of Government in Africa - Synonym Regional governance comes into play here, and certain precedents may get set and then ratified by regional or sub-regional organizations. With the dawn of colonialism in Africa, the traditional African government was sys-tematically weakened, and the strong and influential bond between traditional lead- . Institutions represent an enduring collection of formal laws and informal rules, customs, codes of conduct, and organized practices that shape human behavior and interaction. In new countries such as most of those in Africa,7 where the rule of law is in competition with the rule of men, leaders play a strikingly critical role, for good or ill. The government system is a republic; the chief of state and head of government is the president. A second conflict pattern can develop along the lines of ethnic cleavages which can be readily politicized and then militarized into outright ethnic violence. 1995 focuses on social, economic, and intellectual trends up to the end of the colonial era. Ancient West Africa: Bantu Migrations & the Stateless Society Form of State: Federal, Unitary or - Jerusalem Center for Public The question then becomes, how to be inclusive?19 A number of African states have decentralized their political decision-making systems and moved to share or delegate authority from the center to provincial or local levels. Invented chiefs and state-paid elders: These were chiefs imposed by the colonial state on decentralized communities without centralized authority systems. Safeguarding womens rights thus becomes hard without transforming the economic system under which they operate. Indeed, it should be added that a high percentage of todays conflicts are recurrences of previous ones, often in slightly modified form with parties that may organize under more than one flag. Basing key political decisions on broad societal and inter-party consensus may help to de-escalate cutthroat competition that often leads to violent conflicts. Abstract. While this attribute of the traditional system may not be practical at the national level, it can be viable at local levels and help promote democratic values. Extensive survey research is required to estimate the size of adherents to traditional institutions. Judicial Administration. Differences and Similarities Between a Democracy and a Republic "Law" in traditional Igbo and other African societies assumes a wide dimension and should be understood, interpreted, and applied as such, even if such a definition conflicts with the Western idea. There is one constitution and one set of laws and rules for ordinary people, and quite other for the ruling family and the politically connected elite. Different property rights laws are a notable source of conflict in many African countries. Traditional leaders would also be able to use local governance as a platform for exerting some influence on national policymaking. (PDF) INDIGENOUS AFRICAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS - Academia.edu An election bound to be held in the year 2019 will unveil the new . They are the key players in providing judicial service and in conflict management in much of rural Africa. After examining the history, challenges, and opportunities for the institution of traditional leadership within a modern democracy, the chapter considers the effect of the current constitutional guarantee for chieftaincy and evaluates its practical workability and structural efficiency under the current governance system. This is done through the enforcement agencies such as the police force. This page was processed by aws-apollo-l2 in. 1.4. Institutional systems emanate from the broader economic and political systems, although they also affect the performance of the economic and political systems. . Against this backdrop, where is African governance headed? This brief essay began by identifying the state-society gap as the central challenge for African governance. Paramount chiefs: Another category of leadership structure is that of hereditary paramount chieftaincy with various traditional titles and various levels of accountability. The Role of Traditional Leaders in Post Independence Countries Botswana Although considerable differences exist among the various systems, opportunities for women to participate in decision making in most traditional systems are generally limited. As noted, African countries have experienced the rise of the modern (capitalist) economic system along with its corresponding institutional systems. This enhanced his authority. Even so, customary law still exerts a strong . Such a transformation would render traditional institutions dispensable. While comprehensive empirical studies on the magnitude of adherence to traditional institutions are lacking, some studies point out that most people in rural areas prefer the judicial service provided by traditional institutions to those of the state, for a variety of reasons (Logan, 2011; Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). Challenges confronting the institution of chieftaincy have continued from the colonial era into recent times. 2007 Relevance of African Traditional Institutions of Governance African political elites are more determined than ever to shape their own destiny, and they are doing so. They are well known, among others, for their advancement of an indigenous democratic process known as Gadaa. This theme, which is further developed below, is especially critical bearing in mind that Africa is the worlds most ethnically complex region, home to 20 of the worlds most diverse countries in terms of ethnic composition.8. Traditional African religions are not stagnant but highly dynamic and constantly reacting to various shifting influences such as old age, modernity, and technological advances. Before then, traditional authorities essentially provided leadership for the various communities and kingdoms. Stated another way, if the abolition of term limits, neo-patrimonialism, and official kleptocracy become a regionally accepted norm, this will make it harder for the better governed states to resist the authoritarian trend. Integration of traditional and modern governance systems in Africa. One layer represents the formal institutions (laws) of the state. In any case, as . References: Blakemore and Cooksey (1980). African Traditional Political System and Institution: University of The Gambia, Faculty of humanities and social sciences. In addition to these measures, reconciling fragmented institutions would be more successful when governments invest more resources in transforming the traditional socioeconomic space. The reasons why rural communities adhere to the traditional institutions are many (Logan, 2011; Mengisteab & Hagg, 2017). In this respect, they complement official courts that are often unable to provide court services to all their rural communities. African Solutions for African Problems - The Real Meaning The campaign by some (but not all) African states to pull out of the International Criminal Court is but one illustration of the trend. The article has three principal objectives and is organized into four parts. Even old-fashioned tyrants learn that inclusion or co-option are expensive. These include - murder, burglary, landcase, witchcraft, profaning the deities and homicide. This can happen in several ways. There is strong demand for jobs, better economic management, reduced inequality and corruption and such outcome deliverables as health, education and infrastructure.22 Those outcomes require effective governance institutions. For these and other reasons, the state-society gap lies at the heart of the problems faced by many states. The means by which the traditional government reached out to her subjects varied from sounds, signs to symbol, and the central disseminator was the "town crier". A third layer lies between the other two layers and is referred to in this article as traditional institutions. This article contends that postcolonial African traditional institutions lie in a continuum between the highly decentralized to the centralized systems and they all have resource allocation practices, conflict resolution and judicial systems, and decision-making practices, which are distinct from those of the state. The colonial state, for example, invented chiefs where there were no centralized authority systems and imposed them on the decentralized traditional systems, as among the Ibo of Eastern Nigeria, the Tonga in Zambia, various communities in Kenya, and the communities in Somalia. Interestingly, small and mid-size state leaders have won the award so far.) Copy this link, or click below to email it to a friend. One scholar specializing on the Horn of Africa likens the situation a political marketplace in which politics and violence are simply options along the spectrum pursued by powerful actors.5. African countries are characterized by fragmentation of various aspects of their political economy, including their institutions of governance. Many other countries have non-centralized elder-based traditional institutions. Other governance systems in the post-independence era and their unique features, if any. A second attribute is the participatory decision-making system. The same source concluded that 7 out of the 12 worst scores for political rights and civil liberties are African.11 As noted, the reasons vary: patrimonialism gone wrong (the big man problem), extreme state fragility and endemic conflict risks, the perverse mobilization of ethnicity by weak or threatened leaders. Following decolonization, several African countries attempted to abolish aspects of the traditional institutional systems. The government is undertaking a review of local government, which includes a commitment to introduce direct election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs). Traditional affairs | South African Government In many tribes, the chief was the representative of the ancestors. However, they do not have custodianship of land and they generally do not dispense justice on their own. Chiefs administer land and people, contribute to the creation of rules that regulate the lives of those under their jurisdiction, and are called on to solve disputes among their subjects. But established and recognized forms of inherited rule cannot be lightly dismissed as un-modern, especially when linked to the identity of an ethnic or tribal group, and could be construed as a building block of legitimacy. This situation supported an external orientation in African politics in which Cold War reference points and former colonial relationships assured that African governments often developed only a limited sense of connection to their own societies. Three layers of institutions characterize most African countries. No doubt rural communities participate in elections, although they are hardly represented in national assemblies by people from their own socioeconomic space. Despite apparent differences, the strategies of the three countries have some common features as well that may inform other counties about the measures institutional reconciliation may entail. Learn more about joining the community of supporters and scholars working together to advance Hoovers mission and values. Stagnant economy, absence of diversification in occupational patterns and allegiance to traditionall these have a bearing on the system of education prevailing in these societies. However, their participation in the electoral process has not enabled them to influence policy, protect their customary land rights, and secure access to public services that would help them overcome their deprivation. Discuss any similarities between the key features of the fourth Government and the Political System 2.1. You cant impose middle class values on a pre-industrial society.13. There is no more critical variable than governance, for it is governance that determines whether there are durable links between the state and the society it purports to govern. The movement towards a formal state system is characterized by its emphasis on retribution and punishment. It considers the nature of the state in sub-Saharan Africa and why its state structures are generally weaker than elsewhere in the world. In some societies, traditional, tribal authorities may offer informed and genuinely accepted governance, provided that they are not merely government appointees pursuing decentralized self-enrichment. In these relatively new nations, the critical task for leadership is to build a social contract that is sufficiently inclusive to permit the management of diversity. A partial explanation as to why the traditional systems endure was given in the section Why African Traditional Institutions Endure. The argument in that section was that they endure primarily because they are compatible with traditional economic systems, under which large segments of the African population still operate. the system even after independence. With respect to their relevance, traditional institutions remain indispensable for several reasons. Posted: 12 May 2011. It is also challenging to map them out without specifying their time frame. Paramount chieftaincy is a traditional system of local government and an integral element of governance in some African countries such as Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia and Ivory Coast. Perhaps one of the most serious shared weakness relates to gender relations. Africas rural communities, which largely operate under subsistent economic systems, overwhelmingly adhere to the traditional institutional systems while urban communities essentially follow the formal institutional systems, although there are people who negotiate the two institutional systems in their daily lives. These include macro variables such as educational access (especially for women), climate change impact and mitigation, development and income growth rates, demographic trends, internet access, urbanization rates, and conflict events. This brief overview of conflict in Africa signals the severity of the security challenges to African governance, especially in those sub-regions that feature persistent and recurrent outbreaks of violence. The Boundaries of Tradition: An Examination of the Traditional Others choose the traditional institutions, for example, in settling disputes because of lower transactional costs. It seems clear that Africas conflict burden declined steadily after the mid-1990s through the mid-2000s owing to successful peace processes outstripping the outbreak of new conflicts; but the burden has been spiking up again since then. Another issue that needs some clarification is the neglect by the literature of the traditional institutions of the political systems without centralized authority structures. Chiefs such as those of the Nuer and Dinka are examples of this category. A second objective is to draw a tentative typology of the different authority systems of Africas traditional institutions. There is a basic distinction between those systems with a centralized authority exercised through the machinery of government and those without any such authority in which . Another driver of governance trends will be the access enjoyed by youthful and rapidly urbanizing populations to the technologies that are changing the global communications space. Features Of Traditional Government Administration. The Alafin as the political head of the empire was . First, many of the conflicts enumerated take place within a limited number of conflict-affected countries and in clearly-defined geographic zones (the Sahel and Nigeria; Central Africa; and the Horn.) 20 A brief account of that history will help to highlight key continuities spanning the colonial, apartheid and the post-apartheid eras in relation to the place of customary law and the role of traditional leaders.
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